History of Lorne

Founded in 1840 by Captain Louitt , it was first settled in 1869 by William Lidnsay a timber cutter in the region. Located on at the foot of the otways and surrounded by rainforrest it is little wonder that lorne with its beautiful beaches and its rich history has become one of victorias biggest tourist attractions Prior to European settlement, Lorne was part of the traditional lands of the Gadubanud or King Parrot people of the Cape Otway coast according to Ian Clark, although many popular websites report that the area was occupied by the Kolakngat Aborigines.

Lorne is situated on a bay named after Captain Louttit, who sought shelter there in 1841 while supervising the retrieval of cargo from a nearby shipwreck. The coast was surveyed five years later in 1846. The first European settler was William Lindsay, a timber-cutter who began felling the area in 1849. The first telegraph arrived in 1859. Subdivision began in 1869 and in 1871 the town was named after the Marquis of Lorne from Argyleshire in Scotland on the occasion of his marriage to Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll one of Queen Victoria's daughters. The Post Office opened on 29 April 1874. In 1891, the area was visited by Rudyard Kipling who was inspired to write the poem Flowers

By 1922 the Great Ocean Road was extended to Lorne, making the town much more accessible. The first passenger service to Geelong was established in 1924 and guesthouses began to appear after 1930. The local fishing industry expanded significantly in the 1930s and 1940s. The Ash Wednesday bushfires swept through the area in 1983, destroying 76 houses. Tourism Popular local activities include traditional beach pursuits such as family bathing and surfing, as well as pier fishing for barracuda whiting, and trevally. Teddy's Lookout lies at the end of George Street on the town's southern outskirts and offers fine views over the town, coastline, and Great Ocean Road. The Great Otway National Park is nearby

.The town's population swells to around 13,000 each New Year's Eve when the Falls Festival takes place. During the first weekend of January over 20,000 spectators visit Lorne when the town hosts the 1.2 km Pier to Pub swim (described in the Guinness Book of Records as "the largest organised ocean swim in the world" and currently capped at 4,000 competitors, the 8km Mountain to Surf run, and the Lorne Surf Boat Race. Terminating in Lorne on theQueen's Birthday was the Great Otway Classic Foot Race (no longer held). Fair on the Foreshore occurs on the first weekend in November. The town has anAustralian Rules football team competing in the Colac & District Football League

Annual events include The Pier to Pub(January) Schoolies week (November) and The Falls Festival New Years.